Gettysburg Restaurant owners branch out with new cuisine

Family-style eatery with 'home-town' cooking.

Joy Flinn, left, of Gettysburg, enjoys lunch with Patricia Coddington, of Chambersburg, on Wednesday during the grand opening of Steinwehr Restaurant in Gettysburg. (THE EVENING SUN - SHANE DUNLAP)

The newest family restaurant in Gettysburg is owned and operated by a local family that has run a successful food service establishment near the center of town for several years.

Steinwehr Restaurant, 533 Steinwehr Avenue, which opened in early May, is co-owned by Yan "Candy" Li, her husband Zhi Cheng Jiang, Candy's father Xin Song Li, and her brother Jin Hui Li.

The building where the new restaurant has been established was the site of the former Mayflower Chinese Restaurant which closed last year, Candy said, and prior to that it had been a Hardee's.

The family had initially opened the restaurant last year as a Chinese Hibachi buffet, Candy said, but then realized that they were "competing with ourselves" with their successful restaurant 'Li's Buffet' in downtown Gettysburg.

The new restaurant, which is operated by Candy and her husband Zhi Cheng Jiang, offers quality American cuisine served by friendly wait staff in a quiet and serene family-home type atmosphere, Candy said.

The existing sign deeming the new establishment Steinwehr Bistro is soon to be changed to Steinwehr Restaurant, Candy said, with the objective of making locals and tourists aware that it is a family-style eatery with 'home-town' cooking.

With a customer friendly menu that runs the gamut from appetizers, sandwiches and wraps, to a full entree dinner, Candy said, there is sure to be something to please every palate.

Appetizers include an array of tasty treats such as chicken quesadilla, Irish nachos and shrimp cocktail.

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A multitude of sandwiches and wraps, which are served with fries, are also available including such favorites as catfish reuben, 'Power House' club, crab cake sandwich or oyster sandwich, just to name a few.

Dinners, which are accompanied by two side dishes, include many American favorites such as New York strip steak, stuffed chicken, pork chops, broiled scallops or grilled catfish.

There is also an extensive and reasonably priced Children's Menu, Candy said, which includes kid-favorites such as hot dogs, hamburgers, macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese or chicken tenders.

Steinwehr Restaurant held its grand opening on Wednesday, May 8. (THE EVENING SUN SHANE DUNLAP)

The comfortable dining room is fitted with a multitude of tables with seating for about 100 customers.

Access to the restaurant is also easy, Candy said, with a large free parking lot on the side and rear of the building.

With McDonald's on one side and KFC on the other, Candy said, Steinwehr Restaurant may be just the respite needed where weary tourists and knowledgeable locals can appreciate good and friendly service coupled with great food.

"We have had customers say that we are the best value in Gettysburg," Candy said, "This is different from the 'fast-food' places that surround us. We offer quality food and a place where customers can take their time and enjoy a good meal.

Owner of Steinwehr Restaurant Yan Li delivers rice soup to guests on Wednesday, May 8, during the grand opening of the Gettysburg restaurant. (THE EVENING SUN SHANE DUNLAP)

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The Li family came to the United States from China when Candy was 12 years old, she said, and her father worked as the head chef in a successful and busy restaurant in York.

Growing up in the restaurant business she never considered another career after her graduation from Gettysburg High School in 2006, Candy said. In addition to co-owning and running the restaurant, Candy said, she is also working toward a business management degree at Shippensburg University.

Her husband was also born in China, moving to the United States at age 11 with his family, who also have a restaurant business in Newport near Carlisle.

Jiang, who is the head chef at the restaurant, has been a professional chef for the last nine years.

Both she and her husband now consider Gettysburg to be their home forever, Candy said. "We may have been born in China but this is our roots now. Gettysburg is wonderful and the people are all so nice. We consider ourselves to be locals and our goal is to do more for our community."

In order to accomplish that goal, Candy said, within the next few months the restaurant will be offering schools and other non-profits the ability to sign up for specific days or evenings when a percentage of the sales will be donated back to that organization.

"We want to treat our customers as we would our friends," Candy said. "We want everyone who comes here to feel at home and enjoy their visit with us."

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